Lyr ADD: Six Ribbons (Jon English, Mario Millo)

Subject: after words to the song 'six ribbons'
From: GUEST,Lynn
Date: 14 Mar 00 - 01:46 AM

G'day, I was just wondering if there was anyone out there who knew the words to the Jon English song called "six ribbons"...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 14 Mar 00 - 09:32 PM

G'day Lynn,

I have the TV Series book and that may have the words in it ... I also remeber seeing the music transcribed by someone here about the Sydney Folk Scene - a few decades back!

I'll have a look but, with the next issue of Mulga Wire due at the printers on Tuesday ... and the Illawarra Folk Festival from Friday to Sunday ... and nobody giving me their promised articles yet ... I might not be back until next week - and somebody else should have helped you by then.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: Lyr Add: SIX RIBBONS
From:
Date: 15 Mar 00 - 08:00 AM

If I were a minstrel, I'd sing you six love songs,
To tell the whole world of the love that we share.
If I were a merchant, I'd bring you six diamonds,
With six blood red roses, for my love to wear.

But I am a simple man, a poor common farmer,
So take my six ribbons to tie back your hair.
Yellow and brown, blue as the sky,
Red as my blood, green as your land.

If I were a nobleman, I'd bring you six carriages,
With six snow-white horses, to take you anywhere.
If I were the emperor, I'd build you six palaces,
With six hundred servants for comforting care.

But I am a simple man, etc.

If I were a minstrel etc.

So be not afraid, my love, you're never alone, love,
While you wear my ribbons tyin' back your hair.

I think that's most of it, hope it helps.
Clive

HTML line breaks, capitals & punctuation added. --JoeClone, 26-Aug-02.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: Helen
Date: 15 Mar 00 - 09:54 PM

A long time ago I saw the sheet music for this. The trouble is, I don't think I have a copy of it in my stack of music, and it was either my sister or an American harper friend who lived over here in Oz a few years back and has now gone back to live in the U.S. I'll have to wade through my collections and see whether I can find it.

Helen

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: Callie
Date: 16 Mar 00 - 08:44 AM

There's also a cross-rhythm bit, isn't there? A bit like Simon & Garf's version of Scarborough Fair? I've heard people play it with the two melodic lines & lyrics going at once. Can't help with details though.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: Helen
Date: 16 Mar 00 - 05:49 PM

Callie,

I don't remember hearing that, but it has been years since I heard it played by my friend, let alone from the recording.

Helen

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: Helen
Date: 26 Mar 00 - 04:52 AM

Well, my sister had a copy of the music so I have put a GIF file of it on a temporary website.

Six Ribbons sheet music

http://www.geocities.com/helen_in_oz/temp.html

It's not a terribly clear copy but it has taken me half an hour just to get one picture up on the site so maybe I'll post a clearer copy in the next couple of days or I might resort to typing the notes into Noteworthy and putting the midi file there as well and also I can send that through e-mail. If necessary I could fax it or pack it on the back of a snail and send it by mail.

If the above site isn't available straight away try it again in another few hours or a day because there is often a delay between changing a site with Geocities and actually being able to access the changes.

Helen

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: Helen
Date: 27 Mar 00 - 04:16 PM

Hi again,

I just put a clearer copy of the music on the temporary site.

Helen

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 27 Mar 00 - 05:08 PM

G'day again,

Helen: When I send something like sheet music, I save as a 2 colour (1 bit) GIF. this saves a lot of space compared to JPG (which is ideal for photographs). In the case of your sheet music we have a 203 kb JPG file versus a 39 kb GIF ... which prints cleaner!

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: Helen
Date: 28 Mar 00 - 04:00 AM

Bob,

It is a GIF file - I avoided using a JPEG because I know it loses definition with the compression, but I didn't know what resolution (dots per inch) would work best and I saved it first as a grey-scale file at 1200 dpi but it was huge. Then I scanned the Line-Art/B&W file at 600 dpi but that was huge too, so I scaled the size down to get 203K - the line-art one was 23,000K to start with - mega-huge.

I'll have to play around with it and find a clear definition which isn't too large in file size. But, I'll probably still type it into Noteworthy and make a Midi file - that's a lot easier all round.

Which graphic program do you use? I am struggling between Corel Photo-Paint and the Microsoft Picture-It program which came with my computer a few years ago. I'm more comfortable with graphics programs on the Amiga but it is packed away in a corner at the moment, and then I have to do complicated disk swappings between the PC & the Amiga.

Helen

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: harmoniclive
Date: 29 Mar 00 - 02:11 AM

yeah!yeah! all i did was submit the lyrics to the song,but did anyone say thanks?no way were all to busy showing people how clever we are!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 29 Mar 00 - 02:46 AM

G'day again,

harmoniclive: Welcome to the Mudcat! I take you don't date back far enought to have seen the television attempt to depict Douglas Adams' Hitch-hikers' Guide to the Galaxy. The point where Arthur presses the right button and saves the spaceship and occupants from certain death ... then remarks with true British reserve "It was nothing ..." - so they all turn around and go back to whatever they were doing before the missiles attacked - should be a good training session for Mudcat.

Congratulations - if belatedly - you saved me from ratting through 3000 books to find a slim promotional pamphlet that might have had the words ... and even the music. Keep up the good work ... but don't expect anyone as peculiarly obsessed as a folksinger to actually notice anything other than the tune / lyrics / whatever you have just kindly provided. (And, as for a folksinger/computer nerd ...)

Helen: I find a 300 dpi B/W image (which I usually save a GIF, because it slips straight into internet applications) is fine for music sheets. Your file saved as a JPG, so I presumed that was how it started out.

Programs: Although I used CorelDraw professionally in the Training & Publications Unit here at EnergyAustralia, I am not keen on Corel PhotoPaint. if I need conversion and manipulation facilities I usually use PaintShop Pro - sometimes PhotoShop or PhotoStyler for certain peculiarities ... but PaintShop Pro has picked up most of those functions and has the best conversion ability. MS Picture-It only gets used to see what something will look like in the worst circumstances!

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: Helen
Date: 29 Mar 00 - 03:43 AM

Thanks, clive

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: Helen
Date: 02 Apr 00 - 05:44 AM

I've just sent the Midi file for this to Alan Of Oz for his Mudcat Midi page. You can get to that through the box on the top left of this page which says Quick Links - just scroll down to the Midi page and press go.

Allow some time for Alan to put it into the page, of course.

It's a lovely tune, well worth a listen, deceptively simple.

Helen

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: Alan of Australia
Date: 02 Apr 00 - 06:16 AM

G'day,
Thanks to Helen the tune can be found here at the Mudcat MIDI site.

Cheers,
Alan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: Helen
Date: 03 Apr 00 - 05:44 AM

Thanks Alan. Extremely prompt!!

I wish I knew who actually wrote this song & tune so that I could add the copyright information to the Midi file.

Does anyone know for sure? Did Jon English write it or only sing it?

Helen

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: John Wood
Date: 03 Apr 00 - 07:57 AM

The tune/song is called: Against the Wind/Six Ribbons.
From the film/TV series called: Against the Wind
Original sound track by JON ENGLISH and MARIO MILLO.
Given out on CD (in Europe) by MIDNIGHT RECORDS PTY Ltd. (ND74756)
I have an original copy of the music/text with a translation into the four Scandinavian languages.

The song SIX RIBBONS is credited to JON ENGLISH
Copyright 1978 by MIDNIGHT MUSIC.
For Scandinavia and Finland: FRITUNA PRODUKTION AB, STOCKHOLM.

Greetings John.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: GUEST,Lynn
Date: 10 Apr 00 - 11:31 PM

Thanks Helen and everyone else that replied to my post much appreciated :) Lynn

Subject: Six ribbons
From: GUEST,Maria
Date: 22 Sep 00 - 12:02 PM

Hello! Can anyone please HELP me! I´m looking for the lyrics of "Six ribbons" with Jon English. Does anyone know where to find it. I have just find it in Swedish but I would like the english version. I would be very greatful! Thank´s / Maria.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Six ribbons
From: Quincy
Date: 22 Sep 00 - 12:21 PM

Is this it Maria?

six ribbons (click)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Six ribbons
From: sophocleese
Date: 22 Sep 00 - 12:29 PM

We had a thread on this a while back you could try clicking here I'm trying to find a recording of this myself.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: Helen
Date: 22 Sep 00 - 06:43 PM

The sheet music I posted was only a temporary file. If anyone wants to see it let me know either here or in a Personal Message. I've replaced that ewbpage with something else now.

Helen

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: GUEST,Frippe
Date: 25 Sep 00 - 05:34 PM

Hi Helen! I just missed the sheet music of six ribbons. Could you post it again or???? I like very much to see it.... Thanx Frippe

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: sophocleese
Date: 25 Sep 00 - 06:24 PM

Yikes!, Yes Helen I would dearly love to see the sheet music for that. Thank you, Sophocleese.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: Helen
Date: 25 Sep 00 - 06:52 PM

Will the midi do?

After the last thread I sent it to Alan to put on Alan's Mudcat Midi page

http://www.mudcat.org/alanofoz/six_ribbons.mid

Helen

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Sep 00 - 03:57 PM

Hello Helen! Kind of you to reply to our message again. The midi was good but it´s the lyrics to the song that we are looking for. You see we are going to play it in our band, but we can´t find the lyric´s in english just on swedish.If you have it we would be very happy. Thank´s / Maria & Frippe

Subject: Lyr Add: SIX RIBBONS
From: Helen
Date: 26 Sep 00 - 06:45 PM

Clive posted the lyrics here but the line breaks didn't work. Here they are again.

Helen

If I were a minstrel,
I'd sing you six love songs,
to tell the whole world of the love that we share.

If I were a merchant,
I'd bring you six diamonds,
with six blood red roses,
for my love to wear.

But I am a simple man,
a poor common farmer,
so take my six ribbons to tie back your hair.
Yellow and brown,
blue as the sky,
red as my blood,
green as your land.

If I were a nobleman
I'd bring you six carriages,
with six snow white horses,
to take you anywhere.
If I were the emperor,
I'dd build you six palaces, with six hundred servants
for comforting care.

But I am a simple man,etc.

If I were a minstrel etc.

So be not afraid,my love,
you're never alone,love,
while you wear my ribbons
tyin' back your hair.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: GUEST,Maria & Frippe
Date: 27 Sep 00 - 11:22 AM

Hi Helen !!! Thank you very much for you varm engagement in our quest to find the lyrics. Now that you have let us take part of this lovley song we are going to play it, oh yeah!. In fact we are going to play it on saturday, when we preform with our band at a local pub here in Norrköping. Thank's a million again for your help.

see ya ! Frippe & Maria

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: Helen
Date: 27 Sep 00 - 07:37 PM

Hi Frippe & Maria

Hope you have fun with this song. I wish I could come over & see your performance - maybe one day. Or you could do a tour of Australia one day and sing it in English & Swedish for us.

Helen

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: GUEST,Maria
Date: 01 Oct 00 - 01:30 PM

Hi Helen! You are very welcome to Sweden and Norrköping. It would be a dream come true to visit Australia of course. Maybe one day, are you interested in Irish folkmusic? It´s been very fun talking to you, thank God for people like you.

Love Maria.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: Helen
Date: 02 Oct 00 - 01:17 AM

Maria,

Yes, my favourite music is Irish & Welsh music, and any Celtic music. I especially like O'Carolan's harp tunes - I have a Celtic lever harp. Do you know any of O'Carolan's tunes e.g. Fanny Power (or Poer), Planxty Hewlett, Planxty Irwin, Si Bheag Si Mor, etc?

Helen

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: GUEST,Maria
Date: 02 Oct 00 - 03:04 PM

Helen!

No sorry,can´t help you there.

Maria

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: Helen
Date: 02 Oct 00 - 06:51 PM

Maria,

They are lovely tunes by O'Carolan, an Irish harper from the 17th Century. If you like playing tunes (not just songs with words) have a look at this site for some of them.

Lesley Nelson's O'Carolan page

http://www.contemplator.com/carolan/

Helen

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: after words to the song 'six ribbons
From: GUEST,Maria
Date: 09 Oct 00 - 11:23 AM

Hi Helen!

I don´t play the harp, but I play Irish "tin wistle". But a lovely sight, thank´s.

Maria

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Six Ribbons (Jon English & Mario Millo)
From: GUEST,Andrew
Date: 22 Jun 06 - 08:11 AM

can anyone help? I'm after sheet music for this song to suit the flute or piano. Please forward any information to [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Six Ribbons (Jon English & Mario Millo)
From: GUEST,GUEST, Penny
Date: 17 Jul 06 - 09:19 AM

I'm after the sheet music for Six Ribbons too, please!

My mother wants me to play it on the flute for her at her wedding.

Please send any information to [e-mail]

I'm desperate! Thanks for your help!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Six Ribbons (Jon English & Mario Millo)
From: GUEST,Luke
Date: 12 Sep 06 - 07:10 AM

I would also love the sheet music for this song please, for the piano if you have it. Anyone with it could you please please please send it to [e-mail]
Thanks

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Six Ribbons
From: GUEST,Craig
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 06:40 PM

Hi does anyone have a copy of the sheet music that Helen posted. My Daughter is learning the flute and wants to learn Six Ribbons. Anyone with it could you please send it to [e-mail]


Thanks,

Craig.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Six Ribbons
From:
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 11:21 PM

Created one from the .MIDI file using Finale's Notepad Plus. Sent it to Craig. Anyone want to try and work up an .abc?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Six Ribbons
From:
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 11:31 PM

Oh! For the next week, the PDF file will be here Six_Ribbons.pdf

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Six Ribbons
From:
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 12:43 AM

He just got it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Six Ribbons
From: leeneia
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 11:57 PM

Thanks to all for the lyrics and music. This is a lovely song.

The Mudcat MIDI has what sounds like several verses which are rather low in pitch, then toward the end it plays a higher melody. Which words go with the higher melody?

I'd like to know a little about the series "Against the Wind." And how did the song fit in?

Subject: Lyr Add: SIX RIBBONS (Jon English)
From: bfdk
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 04:48 AM

It is, indeed, a lovely song and from a wonderful TV series :-)

You can read about the TV series here - it's finally been released on DVD last year, but I haven't gotten round to ordering my copy yet. I will, though.

The song is played in connection with the courtship of the two main characters, Jonathan Garrett (Jon English) and Mary Mulvane (Mary Larkin).

Btw there's a bit missing of the lyrics in those posted so far. The full lyrics (copied from the LP) are:

Six Ribbons
Words and music Jon English

If I were a minstrel
I'd sing you six love songs
to tell all the world
of the love that we share

If I were a merchant
I'd bring you six diamonds
with six blood red roses
for my love to wear

Chorus:
But I am a simple man
a poor common farmer
so take my six ribbons
to tie back your hair

If I were a nobleman
I'd bring you six carriages
and six snow white horses
to take you anywhere

If I were an emperor
I'd build you six palaces
with six hundred servants
for comforting fare

Chorus

If I were a minstrel
I'd sing you six love songs
to tell all the world
of the love that we share

So be not afraid my love
you're never alone love
While you wear my ribbons
tying back your hair

Once I was a simple man
A poor common farmer
I gave you six ribbons
to tie back your hair

Too ra lee Too ra lie
All I can share
Is only six ribbons
to tie back your hair

I think the last 4 lines must be the "higher melody" you're referring to?

Best wishes,

Bente

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Six Ribbons
From: Little Robyn
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 01:50 PM

Here's the basic story (from the back of the DVD). I loved it when it was on telly in NZ.

Mary Mulvane, an 18 year old Irish girl, is transported to New South Wales for seven years for doing little else than protecting her own property. She must endure the horror of transport to Australia, and years of misery as a convict.
Mary, her friends and her family fight out their battle against a lively historical backdrop - Ireland's 1798 Rebellion, Australia's Castle Hill Rebellion of 1804, and the 1808 Rum Rebellion.
With characters and historical settings all based in fact, Against The Wind is a sweeping drama spanning 15 years of Australia's most brutal and violent past, and was one of the greatest television successes of it's era.

All that and a good song as well!
Robyn

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Six Ribbons (Jon English, Mario Millo)
From: GUEST,Melissa
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 02:19 AM

I wonder if you could possibly post the six ribbons pdf again, my seven year old son, obviously a romantic to be ! wants to sing it for an "idol" contest at his school, many thanks

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Six Ribbons (Jon English, Mario Millo)
From: GUEST,Sebastian
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 02:56 AM

I was wondering if anyone knows where to get other music from the Tv Series "Against The Wind". Im Trying to find the music they play during the rebelion sections, i beleive its called, Death Or Liberty (The Castle Hill Rebellion And Consequences), Would anyone know anything about this?

Also here is a list of the songs played during the Tv Series.
1. Against The Wind (Theme)
2. Seeds Of Fire (Sentencing And Transportation)
3. Unfinished Theme (Rum For Dignity)
4. Six Ribbons (The Courtship)
5. Mary's Theme
6. March Of The Kings Of Laois
7. Waltz Theme (Women Are Chosen)
8. Six Ribbons
9. Dinny And Ngilgi
10. Main Theme Major (The Wedding)
11. Death Or Liberty (The Castle Hill Rebellion And Consequences)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Six Ribbons (Jon English, Mario Millo)
From: GUEST,Melissa
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 08:19 AM

Hi again, I hope someone reads this post, I noted others earlier in the thread had requested sheet music, does anyone have a source? Many thanks, Melissa

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Six Ribbons (Jon English, Mario Millo
From: GUEST,Elizabeth
Date: 27 Jun 07 - 04:21 AM

Hello there! Would anyone be so kind to send me a copy of the piano sheet music 'six ribbons'?

My email address is [e-mail]

Thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Six Ribbons (Jon English, Mario Millo)
From: GUEST,Sara
Date: 03 Jul 07 - 10:11 AM

I really want the sheet music for Six Ribbons, been trying to find it so that I can play it on the piano for my grandmother who loves it.
If anyone knows where to find the chords, so that i don't have to use my brain :p, that would be helpful too.
Please contact me at [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Six Ribbons (Jon English, Mario Millo)
From: GUEST,VenustasLuci
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 05:21 PM

Hello, I'd love the sheet music to this song, if anyone could, would you please send it to me at [e-mail]?

That wold be greatly appreciated, thanks!